Improvement in pigeon-traps



H. IMAP?. Pigeon-Tra'ps.

Patented Aug. 25,1874.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT QEEICE.

HENRY KNAPP, 0E wALwoRTH, NEw YORK, AssreNoR To 4CEERLE PARKER, vor MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN PlGEON-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,494, dated August 25, 1874 application led July 20, 1874.

Vthe letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a perspective view; Fig. 2, a vertical section closed; and in Fig. 3, a vertical section as opening or opened. v

This invention relates to an improvement in what are known as pigeon-traps-that is to say, a trap in which a pigeon is secured preparatory to being let loose for shooting and sporting purposes, and particularly to that class which are opened by the raising of a follower. These* traps usually consist of four sides hinged to a base, and forming, when closed, a pyramid. Within and upon the bottom a follower is arranged, by the raising of which the sides are raised so as to open the trap for the escape of the pigeon. As the follower can be no larger than the internal dimensions of the inclosure, it is not able to carry the sides beyond a perpendicular, depending, therefore, upon their momentum for the full opening, and when the follower is thrown up, if the sides do not open, they often interfere with the escape of the bird, or with the shooting.` Moreover, the sides are liable to fall back beneath the follower, so as to require manipulation' in the return of the follower; and, further, when thus thrown open, `they can only be closed by hand, each side being in no way connected with the others. Y

The object of this invention is to insure the opening vwide of the sides and their simultaneous closing by the vertical movement of the follower; and it consists in attaching the sides to the follower by means of levers, so that the vertical upward movement of the follower will throw the sides open, and the return of the follower closes the sides.

A is ahollow post, to which a cap, B, is attached, and upon each side of the cap B one of the sides C of the trap is hinged. These are preferably made of triangular form,

so as to close to a point at the center, as

seen in Fig. l, in substantially the usual manner. Within the post A. a follower, D, is arranged, with a floor, E, thereon, so as to be raised or lowered in substantially the usual manner--that is, by a cord, F, attached thereto, and running to the position where the worker of the trap stands. To each of the sides C an arm, a., is attached, and to the end of each of the arms a a rod, d, is hinged, and the other end of the rods d hinged to the follower D, thus connecting each of the sides directly to the follower.

The operation of this connection is as follows: When closed, as in Fig. 2, the arms and rods a d lie beneath the iloor E, as seen in Fig. 2. When the follower is raised, the arms d rising 'open the sides in advance of the rising floor, and to their full extent, as seen in Fig. 3, and this full and positive movement of the sides will be producedy whether the follower be raised quickly or slowly. The rapidity with which the follower is raised may, therefore, be left to the judgment of the operator, and he assured that the trap will be completely opened, and his operation in no way deranged. Left free after having been thus opened, the follower will fall and close the sides C over it by means of its connection with the sides, so that the trap is ready for immediate use.

In the usual construction, when it is desired to introduce a bird, one of the sides must be turned back, and in introducing the bird through this large opening, and closing the opening thereafter, there is great danger of losing or injuring the bird. To avoid this difficulty I attach a slide, L, on one side, which may be turned to one side, as seen in broken lines, Fig. l, and expose an opening sufficiently large for the introduction of the bird, which opening may be closed without danger to the bird.

I claim as my inventionl. In a trap consisting of the hinged sides C and the follower D, the opening in Yone of C and follower D, the said sides and follower, the sides with the slide or cover L arranged when connected together substantially as dethereon, substantially as set forth.

scribed, so that raising or lowering the said ,v HENRY KNAPP. follower simultaneously opens or closes the Witnesses: said sides. Y A CHARLES I. GRANT,

:2. a trap consisting of the hinged sides `DAVID BARTON. 

